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TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves believes his old side Manchester City are in the box-seat to win this season’s Champions League following their 2023 1-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Istanbul
Manchester City are favourites to win the Champions League this season – providing they can keep Erling Haaland fit.
That’s according to TNT Sports pundit and former City midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who is backing Pep Guardiola’s men to go the distance in Europe again this season.
Hargreaves said ahead of City’s group stage opener against 2023 final opponents Inter Milan live on TNT Sports, the home of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League: “They are favourites. They are the best team, they have the best coach and Haaland has started like a house on fire again.
“It’s always hard to win back-to-back Champions Leagues but I still think City are the favourites and will be for as long as Guardiola stays at the club. When you play for a club like City, they expect you to win. Nobody will be thinking ‘we’ve had great success, let’s take our foot off the gas’ and they will be right there again.”
But having sold Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid, the fitness of Haaland could yet prove decisive as City have failed to replace the Argentine forward.
Hargreaves continued: “If Haaland is injured for a long time you are probably not going to win the Champions League. But remember, they also got to the final of a Champions League with no striker.
“Anytime you have Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, they are going to be up there. Keeping Haaland fit is important but the top guys won’t play all the time.
“It feels like there are too many games now for the top players nowadays, especially with summer competitions but ultimately, they are all really good football players but they also love to compete and they will be hungry to win both the Premier League and Champions League this season.”
Hargreaves has also been impressed by new signing Savinho, who has hit the ground running following his heroics in La Liga with Girona last season.
He added of the Brazilian: “He’s an amazing player and can play either side. He’s played a lot from the left but I think he’s a bit like Riyad Mahrez in the way that he dribbles.
“He had an incredible season at Girona. I don’t know what his market value would be now because he came from their sister club Troyes but he’s a super, super player.
“He’s smart, technically gifted, skillful and he’s going to hurt a lot of people this year, that’s for sure.”
TNT Sports is the home of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League. TNT Sports is available through its streaming destination discovery+ and across all major TV platforms. This isn’t Just Sport, This is Everything. For more info visit: tntsports.co.uk/football
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